Category: cakes

Gluten Free Chocolate and Blackberry Cupcakes.

orladoes2 Comments

As it will be my mother’s birthday next week, and mother’s day on Sunday, I wanted to bake her something special, as it is a double celebration. I was having a think about what I could bake. I made some jam last year and I still have jar of blackberry jam left. I wanted to use it up with these cupcakes.

I had a look for cupcake recipes for inspirations in my cookbook collection, and I stumbled across a recipe in Nigella Lawson’s Domestic Goddess. She has a recipe for chocolate and cherry cupcakes. I decided to adapted this recipe using my jam and gluten free flour. I also used coconut sugar instead of caster sugar. It works brilliantly!

I love using this book. There was something so special adapting this recipe,because when I was younger this was the book me and mum would bake from.

I love it when you can get inspiration for new bakes from recipe books you have had for years.

My chocolate and blackberry cupcakes.

Ingredients for cupcakes:

  • 125g unsalted butter
  • 100g dark chocolate
  • 300g blackberry jam
  • 150g coconut sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 150g gluten free self-raising flour

For the chocolate ganache icing:

  • 100g dark chocolate
  • 100ml of double cream

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 170 fan / gas mark 4. Line a large muffin tin with 12 muffin cases.

2. Put the butter in a large pan on the heat to melt. When the butter is almost melted, stir in the chocolate. Leave for a moment until the chocolate has started to melt.

3. Take the pan off the heat. Stir with a wooden spoon until the butter and chocolate are smooth and melted. Stir in the jam, sugar and eggs with a wooden spoon. Once the mixture is well mixed stir in the flour and salt. Make sure the flour is mixed in well.

4. Pour the mixture into 12 muffin cases. Bake for 25 mins. They should be done once a cake skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring onto a cooling rack.

5. While the cakes are cooling make the icing. Break the chocolate into a bowl. Bring the cream up to the boil. Once the cream is up to the boil, take off the heat and add the chocolate stirring to get a smooth ganache.

6. Finally spoon the ganache onto the cupcakes.

Enjoy!

Gluten Free Halloween Cupcakes

orladoes2 Comments

halloween 7 psd

It’s nearly time for the most spooky and scary time of year again, Halloween! If you are having a Halloween party or just giving out sweets, these pumpkin cupcakes with spiced cream cheese frosting will do the trick!

halloween v3

I love Halloween, it’s the best occasion to be creative with your bakes. These cupcakes are a great way to get the kids into the kitchen and interested in baking.  They can be decorated in different ways. These cupcakes use up the left overs from the pumpkins.

picture 4

Recipe for Gluten Free Halloween Pumpkin Cupcakes:

Ingredients:

  • 110g unsalted butter
  • 240g coconut sugar (you can use brown sugar)
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 100g of pumpkin puree (roasted)
  • 245g gluten free self raising flour
  • ½ tsp xantham gum
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • 125ml buttermilk  (or 120ml milk with a teaspoon of lemon juice)

For the white ghost icing:

  • 75g cream cheese
  • 150g icing sugar
  • 1tsp lemon juice
  • ¼ tsp vanilla extract

For the ginger buttercream:

  • 125g  unsalted butter
  • 300g icing sugar
  • 4 tsp  crystallised ginger syrup
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • Orange food colouring (add as much as you want depending how orange you want it)

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 160° fan/180°/350°f/gas mark 4, and line a cupcake tin with 12 cupcake cases.
  2. In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture is smooth (this takes 5 mins I like to put a timer on). Then beat in the vanilla extract.
  3.  In a separate bowl combine the flour, xantham gum, cinnamon and ginger give it a stir so all the spices are mixed in.
  4. Break the eggs into a cup and mix, poor half the mixture into the butter and sugar. Then add a spoon on flour (this stops the mixture curdling). Do this until all the egg is mixed in. Then add the the pumpkin and beat until just combined.
  5. Add one third of the flour to the creamed mixture and beat in, then add half of the butter milk and beat.  Repeat these steps until all the flour and butter milk has been added.
  6. Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases and fill just to the top.
  7. Bake for 25 mins. Check if the cakes are cooked by inserting a skewer. They are cooked if the skewer comes out clean.
  8. Leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes then place on a cooling rack to completely cool before icing.

For the white ghost icing:

  1.  Cream the cream cheese for 3 minutes until light and fluffy
  2.  Then add all the other ingredients and beat until all the ingredients are combined.

For the ginger icing:

  1. Cream the butter, syrup and lemon juice for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
  2.  Add the icing sugar and cinnamon and beat until smooth.

 

To decorate:

I used a large nozzle piping bag to create a swirl effect.  you could of course ice with a flat knife.  I topped the cakes with Halloween decorations and googly eyes.

Enjoy!

Gluten Free Carrot Cake Perfect For Mother’s Day

orladoesLeave a comment

 

carrot cake v2

I made this cake for my mum’s birthday a week ago and she loved it so much she asked me if I would make it again. As it is mothers day on Sunday I have decided to make it again!

I found a recipe for a cake I had made before which worked well but as I’m now on a gluten free diet I needed to adapt the recipe. I also thought it would be good if the recipe had reduced sugar as I’m trying to cut down on sugar in my diet.

carrot cake v1

This cake is made with coconut sugar and has maple syrup in the coconut and orange  frosting. This means the cake is much better for you, so don’t feel bad if you have a second slice in the same day!  I also wanted to add extra spice to the cake to help add natural sweetness.

carrot cake v4

Make sure you buy the ingredients for the coconut frosting the day before. The coconut frosting requires you to put a can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight, so the top sets and you can whisk it up to make the frosting the next day.

carrot cake v3

Recipe: Gluten free Carrot Cake with coconut and orange cream frosting with lemon curd.

For the cake: (Recipe adapted from the book ‘Great British Bake Off Everyday’)

Ingredients:

For cake:

  • 4 large eggs
  • 125ml light olive oil
  • 230g coconut sugar
  • 225g gluten free plain flour
  • 2 ½ tsp gluten free baking powder
  • ½ tsp xanthan gum
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp allspice
  • 375g carrot grated  (6-7 medium size carrots  ) but if you have less amount don’t worry
  • 75g desiccated coconut
  • 100g raisins
  • Zest of one orange

For the syrup:

  • 1 orange
  • 1 lemon

For the frosting:

  • 1 zest of an orange
  • 1 tsp maple syrup (can add more depending how sweet you want it)
  • 2 x 400ml can of coconut milk (Put into the fridge the night before to harden)

Half a jar of lemon curd (optional)

To decorate:

pistachio nuts , desiccated coconut and orange zest

Method:

  1. Firstly make the cake. Prepare 2 x 20.5cm cake tins greased with butter and the base lined with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 180° / 350 °F/gas 4 .
  2. Put the eggs , olive oil and coconut sugar in a bowl, whisk with a free stand mixer with the whisk attachment or with a hand held electric whisk for 5 mins until everything is frothy.
  3. Sift the flours, baking powder, xanthan gum and spices into a bowl and gently fold with a metal spoon until everything is combined.  Add the grated carrot, coconut, raisins and zest of an orange to the bowl and fold in with a spoon until everything is incorporated.
  4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tins and spread out evenly, making sure to get to the corners and you have smoothed the top. Put into the oven and bake for 35 mins until a skewer comes out clean.
  5. While the cakes are cooking make the syrup. Put the juice of an orange and lemon in a pan and reduce for 10 mins. (I don’t add sugar) .
  6.  Once cooked take out of the oven leave for 5 mins, take out of the tin and place on a cooling rack. While the cake is still warm make small holes with a skewer in the sponge and pour in the syrup .
  7. While the cake is cooling make the coconut frosting. Take the coconut cans of milk out of the fridge and scrape the top that has set over night into a bowl (you don’t need the liquid bit at the bottom. It can be used for homemade curry later in the week. Whisk until soft peaks form, the add the zest of an orange and 1 tsp of maple syrup and whisk for a further 3 mins. Add more maple syrup if you want depending how sweet you want it.
  8. Once the cake is completely cool then start assembling the cake . Place one of the cakes upside down on the cake stand or plate depending what your going to serve it on . Spread half the jar of lemon curd on the cake  ( if you are using it) and then add half of the coconut frosting. Place the other cake on top and spread the rest of the coconut frosting .
  9. To decorate lightly toast desiccated coconut for 5 mins in a pan, until it goes lightly brown, Put on top of the cake then sprinkle pistachio nuts and add zest of an orange.

Enjoy!